> Slightly delayed answer... ;)
>
> On Fri, 13 Oct 2000, S. Massy wrote:
>
> >>> that everytime the playback is started (with t) or restarted (s then
> >>> t) there's a short blast of static (maybe half a second). I did the
> >> Hmm, this might be related to OSS triggering feature. Most apps using OSS
> > I just tried playing with the buffersize and here's what I've found out:
> > The problem is almost inaudible at a buffersize of 1024 and increases
> > steadily as the buffersize is reduced so that it is very loud once
> > down to 128. Does this confirm what you suspected?
>
> Hmm, not directly, but on the other hand, all soundcard related
> problems tend to get worse as you lower the buffersize (--> less room
> for timing/etc errors). So OSS-triggering is still the prime suspect. Does
> this behaviour still exist? I just tried to reproduce this on my machine
> with ALSA 0.6.x's OSS-emulation, but no static whatsoever.

Yes it still does... I did the only thing that remained for me to try
and compiled the ALSA modules for that old ISA sound card that was
rustin slowly in my computer; and do you know what I found out? The
problem is NOT pressent with that card (OPTI931), so it MUST be an
emu10k1 related problem. But I'm really puzzled as to what it might
be, here's a summary of the hints I've found out so far:
- The problem is present with an emu10k1 based card (SB live! Value) but not
with another sound card.
- The problem is only present when using OSS emulation.
- The problem is only present when using ecasound: of all other apps
using /dev/dsp on my system that I use regularly I have noticed this
problem with NONE!
- The problem increases with lower buffersizes.

Anyone can make anything out of this? Anyone using an emu10k1 based
card noticed this problem?

What might be left is to upgrade to alsa 0.6 and see if the problem's
still there, I've tried to upgrade several times but have had so many
problems that I've given up each time...